Worteldruk

Worteldruk is a term used in linguistics to denote the tendency for speakers to select more accessible lexical items as speech is produced under time pressure or cognitive load. The concept captures how planning constraints influence lexical selection and fluency, favoring high-frequency, shorter, or more conventional words to preserve intelligibility.

The word is Dutch in origin, combining woord (word) and druk (pressure or force). It has appeared in psycholinguistic discussions and experimental studies, mainly within Dutch-language literature, to describe a measurable bias in word choice under constrained production conditions.

Operationally, worteldruk can be measured in tasks that require rapid naming or speaking under time limits. Researchers look at the proportion of high-frequency words, average word length, retrieval reaction times, and disfluency rates as indicators of lexical pressure.

In practice, worteldruk is relevant for understanding spontaneous speech, dictation, and the design of spoken-language interfaces, where systems must anticipate that users may shorten or simplify wording under time pressure.

Related concepts include speech rate, cognitive load, and lexical access. The term remains a niche descriptor in broader linguistics, with ongoing discussion about its precise definition, measurement, and cross-language applicability.